News
SWEDEN - Accent Equity acquires interpreting and translation group
Accent Equity has acquired 100 % of the shares in a Swedish language group owned by Lantz International.
FRANCE - AXA falls short of 95% to delist Camaïeu
On 31 January 2006, AXA Private Equity (AXA PE) launched a simplified tender offer for Camaïeu’s remaining 47.2% floating on Euronext Paris. As previously, the shares were offered at EUR 130. The tender offer closed last night on 13 February 2005 leaving...
SPAIN - Catalana d'Iniciatives acquires Cadena Q
Catalana d’Iniciatives has led the EUR 20m MBI of the clothing retail chain Cadena Q. Other investors include the private equity fund EBN Vaccaria FCR, the founding family of Cadena Q and two external executives. Catalana and EBN invested EUR 10m and...
DENMARK - Danish venture investments double in value
Danish venture capital investment activity has more than doubled from Q4 2004 to Q4 2005, according to a report by Vækstfonden and the Danish Venture Capital Association.
UK - BPE invests in metal and waste
Barclays Private Equity has invested an undisclosed amount in Metal & Waste Recycling Ltd, the UK’s fourth largest metal recycling business, to support future growth and the continuation of a progressive acquisition strategy.
UK - Esporta announces results and new refinancing
Esporta, a leading player in the premium health club market, has announced strong 2005 results and the completion of a refinancing to give financial resources to fund acquisitions and new site roll out. Esporta produced like-for-like sales growth of 3.6...
SWEDEN - Altor invests in Nimbus Boats
Altor Equity Partners has acquired a 60% shareholding in Nimbus Boats through the Altor 2003 fund. The value of the deal has not been disclosed and the former owners will keep the remaining 40%.
GERMANY - Ventizz invests in electronic manufacturing services firm
Ventizz Capital Partners Advisory AG has taken an undisclosed majority interest in AEMtec GmbH through its latest fund, Ventizz Capital Fund III.
UK - Whittan acquired by Stirling Square Capital
Whittan Storage, the UK-based shelf manufacturer, has been acquired by buyout fund Stirling Square Capital Partners for £90m.
UK - Somerfield looks to revive ailing Kwik Save chain
The Apax-led consortium in charge of Somerfield wants to radically restructure its ailing Kwik Save chain, which is likely to result in the sale or closure of many of the 500 stores, say press reports.
NORWAY - Venture-backed MCP opens offices in the US
Maritime Communications Partner (MCP), the global maritime cellular operator, has announced the opening of offices in Miami.
SPAIN - FON secures EUR 22m from blue chip investors
FON, a company focused on creating a global network of shared Wi-Fi connections, has announced that it secured EUR 18m in funding from Index Ventures, Google, Sequoia Capital and Skype. Index Ventures led the round.
UK - PE helping trade buyers dodge competition rules, says SJ Berwin
Trade buyers, frustrated by competition rules that make it difficult for them to buy their direct competitors and who are determined to avoid them falling into other hands, are seeking private equity houses to take controlling stakes in those businesses,...
UK - 3i makes 3.4x its money on sale of WiIliams Lea
3i has sold its minority stake in Williams Lea, the leading global provider of customised Corporate Information Solutions, for £110m to Deutsche Post.
GERMANY - Halder exits Konrad Hornschuh AG
Halder has sold its stake in Konrad Hornschuch AG, which it acquired in 2001, to DZ Equity Partner GmbH, Frankfurt, and L-EA Private Equity GmbH, Karlsruhe, via a secondary buyout. The management of Hornschuch will increase its shareholding as a result...
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity opens Asia office
AXA Private Equity has today announced its opening of a Singapore office and local subsidiary AXA Private Equity Asia. The group is planning to expand significantly its activities in this region with a first allocation of $550m. Asia is one of the fastest...
SWITZERLAND - Eyesense AG receives SFr 10.7m
Eyesense AG has received SFr 10.7m in funding from a syndicate of investors led by Amsterdam and Munich-based Life Science Partners alongside Basel-based BioMedinvest. Other investors in the syndicate include Novartis Venture Fund, Private Life BioMed,...
UK - Lectus Therapeutics closes £8.2m series A funding round
Lectus Therapeutics Ltd, a drug discovery and development company focusing on next-generation ion channel modulators, has announced that it has raised £8.2m in series A funding. The round was led by Sofinnova Partners, with Quester as a co-lead. Takeda...
UK - Owner Venture Managers backs IT MBI
Owner Venture Managers has originated and backed the MBI of Elcon Information Technology Ltd. The value of the deal is undisclosed.
DENMARK - MACH acquires venture-backed End2End
MACH has today announced its acquisition of Aalborg-based End2End. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
NORWAY - Arcapita buys Roxar for around EUR 168m
Arcapita Limited and its affiliates have together with existing management completed the acquisition of a 100% interest in Roxar AS.
UK - NBGI sells Nationwide Autocentres to Phoenix
NBGI Private Equity has realised its investment in Nationwide Autocentres,the independent car servicing business, via a £49m Phoenix secondary buyout.
UK - Mobile media solutions company Kodime backed by The Capital Fund
Kodime Ltd, an award-winning provider of mobile media software and services to property marketers, the music business and marketing agencies, has received an undisclosed amount of funding from The Capital Fund.
SWEDEN - CapMan invests EUR 1.9m in Swedish 42Networks
Funds managed by CapMan will invest EUR 1.9m in 42Networks AB, the Swedish provider of broadband telephony and triple play products and services.